CPJ DELEGATION MEETS WITH ERITREAN AMBASSADORExpresses continued concern about whereabouts of 15 journalists
Washington, D.C., June 13, 2001 — A CPJ delegation met with Eritrean ambassador to the U.S. Gima Asmeron to express its deep concern about 15 journalists alleged to have been jailed or forcibly conscripted for military service. CPJ first raised the issue in a June 7 letter to Eritrean Justice Minister Foazia Hashim. In her…
Jailed editor faces multiple charges
New York, June 13, 2001-The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) calls on Ethiopian authorities to halt the unjust prosecution of Tamirate Zuma, former publisher and editor-in-chief of the defunct Amharic weekly Atkurot, on incitement and other charges relating to his work. Zuma is due to appear in court tomorrow on the incitement charge. We urge…
CPJ calls on President Mugabe to drop defamation charges against newspaper
New York, April 6, 2001 — CPJ is greatly disturbed by criminal defamation charges brought by President Robert Mugabe against three journalists at the Harare Daily News. Daily News editor Geoff Narrate and two of his reporters, Sandra Nyaira and Julius Zava, were charged on Wednesday with criminal defamation of President Robert Mugabe and parliamentary…
CPJ asks Justice Minister to clarify whereabouts of 15 journalists
New York, June 7, 2001 – The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) today issued a letter of inquiry to Eritrean Minister of Justice Foazia Hashim, expressing concern about the welfare of 15 journalists who are alleged either to be in prison or to have been forcibly conscripted. Among the journalists are: Paolos Zaid – Zaid,…
Government bans political TV program
New York, June 6, 2001 — A weekly television talk show was banned yesterday after only three broadcasts because callers criticized Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe. On June 5, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) chairman Gideon Gono wrote to the show’s sponsor saying that the live phone-in television program had been cancelled for “policy” reasons. The program,…
President bans government subscriptions to leading daily
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is disturbed by your recent order banning government agencies from spending public funds to purchase the Windhoek independent daily The Namibian. This decision follows a government advertising ban imposed on the newspaper in December.
Public broadcasting chief jailed on criminal defamation charges
New York, May 22, 2001 — The head of Mali’s public broadcasting service is serving 30 days in jail on a criminal defamation charge brought by the local union of judges. On May 16, 2001, a court in Segou, some 80 miles north of the capital, Bamako, convicted Sidiki Konaté, head of the Office of…
Two journalists freed, two still detained
New York, May 16, 2001 — CPJ welcomes the release of two journalists held in an Addis Ababa prison since 1997 under local press and anti-terrorism laws. Ethiopia has been Africa’s foremost jailer of journalists in recent years, with seven journalists in prison at the end of 2000. Since January 2001, however, authorities have released…
Royal decree expands state power to ban publications
Your Majesty: CPJ is deeply concerned about your June 22 decree expanding the Swazi government’s already sweeping power to ban local publications. The decree, a continuation of the King’s Proclamation of 1973, authorizes the “appropriate ministry” to ban any publication for any reason. “The minister concerned shall not furnish any reason or jurisdictional facts for such proscription,” reads the decree.
Two periodicals suspended over palace coverage
Your Highness: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is gravely disturbed by the unwarranted suspensions of the weekly Guardian and the monthly Nation, two independent publications based in the Swazi capital, Mbabane. On May 2, police arrested the Guardian’s editor, Thulani Mthethwa, and drove him to police headquarters in Mbabane where he was interrogated at length over stories in his newspaper about activities in Your Highness’s palace. He was released after several hours.